If you thought a good meal satisfies only your taste buds, you could not be further from the truth. New research suggests that our brain rewards twice per meal - once when you eat and then again when the food reaches your stomach.
The findings published in the journal Cell Metabolism suggest that a good meal can stimulate the release of the feel-good hormone dopamine twice.
In the study, a small group of volunteers received either a palatable milk shake or a tasteless solution while PET data were recorded.
"While the first release occurred in brain regions associated with reward and sensory perception, the post-ingestive release involved additional regions related to higher cognitive functions," said Tittgemeyer.
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